This invention relates to handling, aligning and placing fibers onto a substrate.
It is often desirable to align multiple fibers into an array of parallel fibers. One method of accomplishing this is to place fibers into parallel grooves that have been formed in the surface of a substrate. Typically, the placement of the fibers into the grooves is performed manually and requires careful and precise operations by skilled operators. In some cases, it is desirable to align multiple xe2x80x9cetchedxe2x80x9d fibers, i.e., fibers that have been stripped of their outer protective coatings and then etched to reduce the outer diameter of the fiber.
According to an aspect of this invention, an apparatus for placing a fiber on a substrate, includes a base, a supporting member attached to the base, a first placement head attached to the support member, the first placement head having an extendable plunger slidably coupled to the first placement head, the first placement head having an airflow channel formed proximate to a tip of the plunger, a substrate holder attached to the base, wherein, during operation of the apparatus, the substrate holder holds a substrate beneath the plunger mechanism, and wherein, during operation of the apparatus, a vacuum source draws a flow of air through the airflow channel, and wherein, during operation of the apparatus, the placement head picks up and holds a fiber against the plunger tip using forces associated with the flow of air.
One or more of the following features may also be included: grooves formed in a surface of the substrate. A movable stage configured to move beneath and perpendicular to the first placement head, and wherein, during operation of the apparatus, the longitudinal axis of the substrate grooves are held parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fiber and the plunger. A removable substrate pallet, wherein during operation of the apparatus, the substrate is held on the substrate pallet and the substrate pallet is held on the substrate carrier. A fiber holder attached to the supporting member, wherein during operation the fiber holder holds a fiber between the plunger mechanism and a substrate groove, and wherein the fiber holder holds the fiber in longitudinal alignment with the plunger tip and the substrate groove. A groove-shaped tip, wherein during operation of the apparatus, the fiber is drawn against the groove-shaped tip by forces associated with the flow of air through the first placement head. A second placement head attached to the support member, the second placement head having a second extendable plunger slidably coupled to the second placement head, the second placement head having a second airflow channel formed proximate to a tip of the second plunger, wherein the second plunger is longitudinally aligned with the fiber held by the fiber holder and the grooves of the substrate held by the substrate holder, the second extendable plunger further including a groove-shaped tip, wherein during operation of the apparatus, the vacuum source draws a flow of air through the second airflow channel and the second placement head picks up a section of the fiber and holds the fiber within the groove-shaped tip of the second plunger by forces associated with a flow of air through the second placement head. Wherein the fiber holder comprises a movable stage configured to move perpendicular to the first placement head. Wherein the fiber holder also includes a removable fiber magazine, wherein during operation of the apparatus, the fiber magazine holds a plurality of fibers and the fiber magazine is held on the fiber holder. Wherein the fiber magazine also includes a plurality of grooves formed in a bottom surface of the magazine, each of the plurality of grooves holding one of the plurality of fibers, and at least one airflow hole formed in the bottom of each of the plurality of grooves, wherein during operation of the apparatus, a vacuum source draws a flow of air through the airflow holes and holds each of the plurality of fibers within a corresponding one of the plurality of grooves.
According to a further aspect of this invention, an apparatus for handling optical fibers, includes a fiber magazine having a plurality of grooves formed in a surface of the magazine, wherein during operation of the apparatus, each of the plurality of grooves holds one of the plurality of fibers, at least one airflow hole formed in the bottom of each of the plurality of grooves, wherein during operation of the apparatus, a vacuum source draws a flow of air through the airflow holes, the forces associated with the flow of air holding the fibers within the plurality of grooves.
One or more of the following features may also be included: wherein the fiber magazine also includes an airflow plenum formed in a central region of the magazine, the airflow plenum connected to one or more of the airflow holes formed in the grooves, wherein, during operation of the apparatus, a vacuum source draws air from the plenum and from the airflow holes. Wherein, during operation of the apparatus, an end of each of the plurality of fibers is held protruding beyond a front edge of the fiber magazine, and wherein, each time the end of a fiber is placed by the apparatus the corresponding fiber being held in the corresponding magazine groove is dislodged from the magazine groove. Wherein the fiber magazine comprises a removable fiber magazine. The apparatus may also include an axle for holding spools, wherein during operation, at least one spool is placed on the axle, each spool holding an opposite end of a fiber that is being held within one of the plurality of grooves, wherein the spools are removable from the fiber magazine.
According to a further aspect of this invention a method of placing a fiber on a substrate, including holding a substrate having a groove beneath a first placement head, flowing air past a plunger slidably coupled to the first placement head, picking up and holding a fiber against a tip of the plunger using forces associated with the flow of air, and extending the plunger to place the fiber into the substrate groove.
One or more of the following features may also be included: Moving the substrate with a first movable stage, the first movable stage configured to move beneath and perpendicular to the first placement head. Wherein holding a substrate having a groove also includes holding a longitudinal axis of the substrate groove parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fiber and the plunger. Wherein moving the substrate with a movable stage also includes holding the substrate on a removable substrate pallet, and holding the removable substrate on the first movable stage. Also holding a fiber between the plunger mechanism and the substrate in longitudinal alignment with the plunger tip and the substrate groove. Wherein picking up and holding a fiber against a tip of the plunger also includes picking and holding a fiber against a groove-shaped tip. Wherein flowing air also includes flowing air through a channel formed proximate to the groove-shaped tip, and drawing air through the channel during operation of the apparatus. Also including holding the substrate having a groove beneath a second placement head, flowing air past a second plunger slidably coupled to the second placement head, picking up and holding a fiber against a tip of the second plunger using forces associated with the flow of air, and extending the plunger to place the fiber into a second substrate groove. Wherein holding a fiber also includes holding a fiber with a fiber magazine, and moving the fiber magazine with a movable stage configured to move perpendicular to the first placement head. Also includes holding a plurality of fibers with the fiber magazine.
According to a further aspect of this invention, a method of presenting optical fibers to an apparatus includes holding a plurality of fibers within a plurality of grooves formed in a surface of a fiber magazine, wherein holding also includes drawing air through at least one airflow hole formed in the bottom of each of the plurality of grooves, the forces associated with the flow of air being used to hold the fibers within the plurality of grooves.
One or more of the following features may also be included: Wherein drawing air also includes drawing air through an airflow plenum formed in a central region of the fiber magazine, the airflow plenum connected to one or more of the airflow holes formed in the grooves. Wherein holding a plurality of fibers also includes holding an end of each of the plurality of fibers to protrude beyond a front edge of the fiber magazine, and dislodging a fiber from a one of the plurality of grooves each time an end of the corresponding fiber is manipulated by the apparatus. Also including mounting at least one spool proximate to the fiber magazine, each spool holding an opposite end of a fiber that is being held within one of the plurality of grooves, wherein the spool is removable from the fiber magazine.
Embodiments of the invention may have one or more of the following advantages. For example, the apparatus automates the placement of fibers onto a substrate, which reduces the time required to place fibers and eliminates the manual handling of the fibers during placement. The use of an airflow or vacuum to supply, locate and place a fiber and the use of a compliant grooved tip plunger to place the fiber minimizes the forces applied to the fiber which reduces the possibility of damage to the fiber. Also, some of the embodiments allow for aligning a set of etched fibers into a xe2x80x9cfan-outxe2x80x9d pattern, i.e., placing a set of etched fiber ends within a set of narrowly-spaced grooves formed in a substrate, and positioning the larger diameter sections of the same set of fibers into a more widely-spaced pattern in an area away from the grooves. Also, some of the embodiments use spools to hold the trailing lengths of each fiber placed onto a substrate which simplifies the handling of fibers attached to the substrate, eliminates direct handling of the fibers and is amenable to further automation.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.